Religion in the Kiravian Empire
The Kiravian Empire is a very religious society. 99.99% of the population believes in God, a supreme being, soul, life force, spirit, or higher power.
Unlike most developed civilizations of the NS world, religion in the Empire has not eroded nor given way to secularism. Suprisingly, the highly scientific nature of Kiravian society has not affected religious belief.
The Imperial State has no official faith, and allows freedom of religion. Religious organizations are not permitted to take part in Imperial-level politics. However, colonies are allowed to state an official religion in their charter.
Display of religious imagery, text, or video, the voicing of religious ideas publicly, and wearing(or not wearing) garments for religious purposes, is perfectly legal. Schools are required to exempt religious wear from dress codes, even if they belong to a cult or other non-conventional faith gorup.
Christianity
30% of the total Imperial poulation is Christian.
Christians are present throughout the Empire, and many Christian colonies are found around the Kiravosphere.
Many Christians are members of unaffiliated or unorganized churches, or non-denominational. Still, many others are of various Protestant denominations. In some small colonies, the Christians have united into one national church. Catholics are quite common in many colonies, including the Catholic Colony of St. Francis Xavier. Liberal Christians, Unitarian Christians, and Christian Humanists have a large presence, especially in Xirya.
Christians are an important part of the Imperial cultural makeup, and their beliefs are very much a part of the Kiravian value system as a whole.
Theism
Making up 35% of th the population, Theists are the largest relgious group in the Empire. Belonging to millions of denominations, or none at all, the followers of Theism are diverse in themselves. Coscivian Theism resmbles, as one religious scholar remarked: "Christianity without Jesus or a Bible.". This is actually a very accurate statement, and Theists and Christians in the Empire have had a long partnership. Conventiaonal Theists adhere to the belief in God, but do not practice social religion to much degree.
Since Theists may or may not attend some form of religious gathering or service, actual social communities of Theists are rare. However, their social influnce is widespread. Emperor Kexarin Raincedar himself is a Theist.
Coscivian Theism, which 80% of Kiravian Theists follow, is unique to the Kirosphere, and has been the main religion of the Cosciv race through the ages. Thus, many philosophical works and scientific studies are written under asumption of Theism.
"Paganisms"
Pagans, at 10% of the Imperial population, are more present in the Empire than in nearly any other nation.
Imperial pagans practic a wide range of religions, and do not identify with other Pagans other than for census purposes. Acoording to the Census, followers of Wicca, Animism, Elementalism, Spitirualism, Druidism, Naturalism, Totemism, Shamanism, Tengriism, Native Religion, Norse Polytheism, and other various creeds, are present.
Pagans, being so divided, have very little unified social influence.
However, they are a significant part of the culture in some provinces, and pagan festivals are considered Imperial holidays.
Alternative Religions
Nontheism, Universism, Humanism, Deism, Unitarianism, and other such philosophies are followed in the Empire.
Terranism
Terranism spread to Kirav from Nova Pictavia, and their rapidly growign numbers led the Empire into a war. Their earth-worship coincided with Kiravian environmentalism. Today, Terranism is the plurality faith in Mesoarbourea and the Terranist Colony of Sacragaia.
